As much as it’s seemed like Joe Maddon’s departure has been a foregone conclusion for a while now, there’s still a distinct possibility that he could remain with the Cubs beyond the end of this season. While his foibles are duly noted and have contributed to diminishing returns over the past three seasons, he’s not exactly been given the proper ingredients for chicken salad.
So even with Vegas installing bench coach Mark Loretta as the odds-on favorite to manage the Cubs next season, not to mention David Ross itching to put his stamp on the right team, Maddon remains confident.